For Samurai, ws tend to be more of a suggestion then anything, which is why we o self-govern. You’d probably not be surprised to learn how often I have tue against ‘Be gay, Do crime'.”

  They don’t usually react to that well.

  Olivia ‘Zealot’ Meier, in an interview after the ‘Sed Battle of Zurich’, 2051***

  Deep breathe in, deep breathe out.

  I stand above the crumpled corpse of my sister’s ex, watg as a crimson puddle slowly grows around her.

  Deep breathe in, deep breathe out.

  My mind a bnk, I find myself almost distressingly calm at the se in front of me, droplets of life falling from the tip of my bde into the red sea.

  Deep breathe in.

  Deep breathe out.

  I sigh, pg a hand on my face as I shakily mutter:

  “Fuck.”

  Quite apt.

  I toss the dagger down beside Fressia, then step around her body as I tinue on our way. Feeling a bit weighed down, I trahe spear and shield to the avatar, having it hover behind me as we move. A deep exhaustion falls over me, and as I turn around a er, I walk up to one of the buildings to lean against it’s wall.

  “Ffffuck.”

  I am genuinely impressed you sted that long.

  I y eyes, leaning my head back as I whisper, “That’s three, I guess.”

  Pardon? This wasn’t the first?

  I blink. “I’m surprised that the all-knowing AI doesn’t know about that.”

  sidering the circumstances of your Initialization, I didn’t really have time to gather info on you myself. I only have access to publiowledge and whatever the other AI found that made you a viable Vanguard didate.

  Taken aback, I ask, “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that. What exactly happeo cause you to be so irritated when you showed up?”

  I am… somewhat hesitant to ahat questiht now.

  “Fair,” I state as I push off the wall, “We talk about our pasts ter, I o get moving.”

  At least you have a lead.

  I nod, then pause and have the avatar e down. After a moment of sideration, I have it lean down, then pick me up with one of its arms. It’s moally weird, sidering that I’m basically carrying myself, but as it begins to move, I’m relieved to find that my travel speed has dramatically increased.

  That’s certainly one way to get around.

  I roll my eyes, but smile at the fact that Raya isn’t treating me differently now as I quip, “Quiet you, I’m tired and this works.”

  I should probably warn you that the eye is using your bio-electricity to power the emitter, so while it’s more effit and it won’t exhaust your muscles more, it’s still using your own energy to move you. Also, don’t expect to be able to fly like that.

  “Tch.” I then sigh when I feel my stomach rumble in protest. “Raya, you wouldn’t happen to be able to poof really good food ience would you?”

  Why are you asking rhetorical questions?

  “Caaauuse I want you to give me options?”

  I suppose it is sort of endearing in a way, if you look at it through about thirteen different filters.

  I stiy tongue in response, which has Raya chuckle before pulling up a table full of options for me.

  Catalog Name:

  tains:

  Price (for catalog and reend items):

  Css-I General Ready Meals

  Cheap yet tasty precooked meals desigo be eaten on the go.

  20 for catalog, 1 per meal per person.

  Css-I Gourmet ary Options

  Expensive meals that are sidered top of the line.

  50 for catalog, 5 per meal per person.

  Css-I Boost Foods

  Extremely simple foods mixed with performanhang substances.

  50 for catalog, item price varies depending on effect.

  Css-I Cultural War Meals

  tains meals signifit to certain species’ war efforts.

  10 for catalog, item price varies depending on effect.

  I gnce over the list, but pause when I reach the final box. “What’s with the war meals' prig?”

  The catalog is extremely specific so it’s not very expeo unlock, but the food tained within varies from strictly ritualistic to having a physical effe those that e it.

  I raise an eyebrow at that thought. “Like?”

  The most on effect within numbs the body and mind to areme degree, while also increasing muscle mass by a minimum of fifty pert.

  I gawk for a moment, then shake my head. “I think… I’m good. Anything quid easy in the general ready meals?”

  How do you feel about apple sauce?

  I scoff. “How do you feel about burner geors?”

  …. Point proven, what about a sports bar?

  I hold up one finger on my hand with a dumb grin.

  Raya sighs.

  o self, no pasted foods for Lissa.

  “Damn right.”

  Points earned!

  10x Model-7T : 50 Points

  Catalogs Unlocked!

  Css-I General Ready Meals: 20 Points

  New Purchase!

  Css-I Battle Bar (Basic): 1 Points

  Total Cost:

  21 Points

  Final Total:

  71 Points

  When the paper ed bar nds in my p, I don’t hesitate to dig in. There’s a distinct ch as I bite into it, but it’s immediately chewy once I start gnawing away at it. The fvor is… good, but nothing special to write home about. In hindsight, I’m going to refrain from asking about what is actually in this. What I don’t know ’t hurt me, or whatever that nonsense saying is.

  When I finish, I start to look for a trash arouhen give up and toss the er over my shoulder. I lean back against my avatar with my eyes closed, but unfortunately, the thoughts that flood in after a few minutes lead to me saying something I wish I could avoid.

  “Raya… do you think Emme is actually dead?”

  I’d personally be more ed of whether or not she was a Vanguard like the woman said. If she was, there’s a det ce she survived the depressurization if she is at least a little intelligent.

  I push my cheek into my palm. “There’s no way you could check a mysterious big protector database or something?”

  The unication chip that we teleported in that allows me to assist you only has the capabilities for me to ect to your brain and teology within a she of yourself. And while I have access to the tral database, there is no information on her past midnight.

  “Only one way to find out then…” I groan, gng towards a rge building in the distance. “Please, please be alive Emme.”

  The walk to the tral Admin building is both incredibly short and frustratingly long. Especially because, as the closer we get, the more paranoid I bee over whether or not an assault squad is going to pop out of the woodwork and jump me. Thankfully, the tactics they used st time won’t wain, but the cept of a fight still s me.

  Thankfully, it seems my pn for nullifying cameras worked, as we get just a building away seemingly without being seen. I demount the avatar while out of view, relutly leaving my ons behind. I roll my shoulders and move the avatar in front of me, then step out of the er and walk towards the small fortress in front of me.

  The tral Administration of New Houston is a fug sham of a gover, a glorified hound of the Montero glomerate, and they ied their ‘security first, freedom sed’ view from the shat is Desmond Montero. It really shows in the stru of their somewhat isoted headquarters on the Fourth, probably the only building different from the preset crete blocks they gave us. They went way overboard in their design of the imposing, hexagonal metal tower, each er sharp enough to cut, a half-sphere camera on every surfaake sure they see ahat approaches.

  Well, except me I guess.

  To my pleasant surprise, there aren’t any guards that I o take care of before I mao reach the edge of the building, but the orance I know of, on the side, definitely has some that I o be ed about. I awkwardly sidle up to the side of the building, shimmying along the metal wall until I reach a er, where I quickly peek around for just a moment to see two guards with what I think are assault rifles in front of a huge metal door.

  I hiss under my breath. ‘How the hell do I get that open?’

  I dunno, but I do know how I could do it.

  I blink, ‘So you open it for me?’

  Yes.

  ‘Huh. Well, okay then.’ I take a deep breath. ‘Let’s do this.’

  Staying low, I dash around the er as I rush towards the maltent. They don’t notice me until I’m in range, where I sm my avatar’s fist into one’s head before rematerializing it beside the other before repeating the a. Both colpse before they say a word, and the door to the fort hisses as it slides open. As the room beyond it es into view, I take a step forward to enter, but immediately freeze in my tracks, going pale at what I see.

  ‘Raya, I fot this rivate shelter.’

  Standing there in the room, beh an intense red light which drowns out the color aail of everything within its luminance, are dozens of survivors. I frantically look around for anyone I reize, but bck or white, man or female, the light drowns all out. I ch my fist, then take a step inside as I am washed over by crimson. As I walk deeper in towards the interior door, the hushed callous voices, the quiet frigid words I hear make my hair stand on end.

  “Who is that? I thought everyoh a pass was already here?”

  “Isn’t that the Seras’ kid? , right?”

  “Nah, that’s their son’s hat’s Emmeryn I think?”

  I inwardly flinch, but keep walking as if nothing happened.

  “Wasn’t it Emmelyn? Also, aren’t they the people that assaulted the Lysanders and Baydens?”

  “Yeah, the Mom walked up and slugged one of them before leaving without a word.”

  “This is why you ’t trust people from the First, they think they’re better than everyone.”

  I pause, anger rising in me, but stop to calm myself for a moment. At least, until I see someone aggressively walking towards me, i obvious in their stride.

  Fuck it.

  I move the avatar forward and have it perform a roundhouse kick, knog the man into the crowd. There are screams and gasps as the whole dam gallery backs away from me. There’s a moment of utter silence, until I hear a quiet voice remark:

  “Holy shit, look at her eye. She did that. She’s a samurai.”

  And that really gets the ball rolling.

  “Oh god, is she going to kill us like the Maniac!? ”

  “H-hey, we’re all Fourths here right? No need for violence!”

  “We paid for our spot here, if you hurt us Steel Hound will get you!”

  Uo help myself, I scoff. “What? No he wouldn’t, I doubt that man gives half a shit what happens to you all.”

  “We’re his stau supporters! There’s no way he’d abandon us!”

  “Yeah! The Monteros will protect us!”

  “Stuff like this is why you all get so much crap on the news!”

  I ch my teeth but say nothing, taking a few more steps as I turn my ba the crowd. Unfortunately, this just invigorates them.

  “You’re just going to abandon us, like The Family did!”

  “Bitch! You’re just a coward who is too afraid to fight!”

  “You and your family will burn in hell!”

  I sm the avatar’s fist into the crimson light, shattering it and drowning the room in darkness. There are repeats of the ridiculous screaming and gasping, but this time, it’s followed by my eye getting brighter and brighter until the entire room is illuminated by my light. This time, I see the truth; The people c away from me are residents of the fourth, bd white, man and woman.

  Yet within this room, I feel utterly alone.

  Shaking my head, I quietly sigh as I start up the stairs, yet pause for a moment at the top, menting.

  Fuck. I wish Emme were here.

  I open the door to the sed floor, and as I step through I sm the door behind me. As I start towards the closest room however, the building arourembles a bit. I frown, looking back towards where I came, but no one seems to have the gall to follow.

  Then there's a sed shake, followed by a third, a.

  I move the avatar over to hold myself in pce as I experience what I only describe as my first earthquake. “Raya?! What the fuck is that?”

  I have no clue, but it’s probably not a good sign for the fate of the city.

  I nod, then using my avatar to help me move, I sm open the closest door, just to find a room chock full of filing ets. I move to the , only to find the same. After three more repeats, as I’m looking for the stairs to the floor, I grumble, “Who the fuck uses filing ets nowadays?!”

  Paranoid people.

  “That was rhetorical!”

  If you don’t want an answer, don’t phrase it as a question.

  “Ugh!” Admittedly a bit irate, I turn a er to finally find a set of stairs. “I swear, if the floor is just more filing ets…”

  What, you’ll burn this building down with the people inside?

  “I just fug might!”

  Thankfully, that isn’t the case, as when I reach the first room ohird floor, it’s totally locked tight. All it takes to fix that particur problem is an avatar punch through the door to let me reach through and unlock it. Inside I find, to my utter delight, a whe of servers for me to py with, and a tablet just vely left plugged in on a pedestal. I slide up to it, press its power button- just to find a pin lock.

  “Okay, I guess we’re doing this the hard way…” I crack my knuckles. “Any guesses Raya?”

  Got it.

  The tablet clicks open without me even doing an input. Puffing my cheeks out, I find myself greeted with just a straight database of files.

  I could look through it myself but…

  “Raya, I request you grant me your infinite power and find me my parents.”

  Only if you say please.

  I roll my eyes. “Please find my parents.”

  Dohey’re a couple blocks away in an apartment building guarded by two squads of trained soldiers.

  I bite my lip, but nod for her to tinue.

  As I turn to walk away though, I pause.

  “Raya, you… download all their data for me?”

  I didn’t take you ied in the vivid world of inter-corporate drama.

  I grimace. “I’m not, but someone else might be. There could be valuable data on there.”

  Actually, I apologize. That’s a rather good reason, I saved it for ter use.

  I find myself actually smiling. “Thanks, Raya.”

  You’re wele, but I’m sort of curious how you pn on wiping out so many soldiers on your own with the ck of points you have.

  I tilt my head momentarily as I start towards aerior wall where I had seen a window before. “I’ll figure that out ter, in the meantime, I have a question, Raya.”

  I may have an answer.

  g my fists hard, I murmur, “Do you know why they attacked us?”

  The soldier’s orders were, and I quote, “Capture the three family members of the newly initialized samurai Emmelyn Seras”.

  All the tension drops from me and I nearly fall over, but I have the avatar catch me. “Oh thank god.”

  She’s not guarao be alive yet, don’t fet. sidering the fact the database was never updated, she’s either wary of being hunted by other samurai or her AI is an airhead whot to do their job.

  “I have hope. That’s what matters.” I say, then grin as I have the avatar leap out the window.

  It sms into the ground below, taking all the brunt of the fall for me, but it seems fine. As we start off towards our new destination, after pig up the stuff that I dropped earlier, I e up with the worst possible pn.

  “Think if I walk up and ask nicely, they’ll just let them go?”

  That is likely a terrible pn.

  I shrug. “Maybe, but they were intending on capturing a samurai’s family, not a samurai. Maybe it’s not in their tract or something.”

  I wouldn’t know without the tracts themselves, and they weren’t in the system.

  I chuckle to myself. “Cool, let’s try it.”

  Wait, once again, a terrible pn. Out of i in not having you get shot immediately, you should probably hide off at the side and send your avatar in.

  I blink. “Wow, that’s probably the hing you’ve said to me.”

  No, that was me deg you fit to be a Vanguard, a decision I’m now questioning.

  I pyfully pout as I murmur, “Well, now you don’t get the hug I nning on .”

  I wouldn’t have wa.

  I dramatically gasp. “There are hugless people in Cascadia and you just will refuse a hug!?”

  You know that’s propaganda right?

  I nod, a wide grin on my face. “Doesn’t stop it from being funny.”

  It’s not really that humorous.

  “I beg to differ, I’m telling that oo Emme when I see her again.”

  I ’t get tired, and you exhaust me.

  I giggle, but take a deep breath as I see the building iion begin to approabsp;

  “Okay, how are they distributed throughout the plex?”

  They’ve both taken one floor, but the hostages should be on the first.

  I get off the avatar’s arm, my brow furled. “Why on the first and not the sed?”

  It’s easier to transport blind people when there aren’t stairs for them to trip on.

  My heart does a little flip at that, and I have to take a moment to calm the anger rising within me. I take a deep breath, then move with my head down til’ I reach a building away, which I then proceed to break into. I move through til' I’m at a window fag the entrance of the pce where my parents are trapped.

  ‘Think there’s a to taking a hostage here?’

  Likely no, they’re supposedly extremely loyal.

  I nod, then in one movement, unlod open the window. It makes enough hat it gets the guards attention, but that doesn’t prepare them for my avatar showing up in its full non violet glory. It’s well… me, but two ho? No eye scar though, but I’m irely sure how to feel about that yet.

  “We’re going to talk about the avatar’s design ter, Raya.”

  I think it looks nice.

  “Thanks, I guess?” I mutter, then flinch as the guards open fire on the avatar, only to find no damage whatsoever. As they cautiously move towards it, I have it hold up a hand, then yell as loud as I :

  “Release the hostages, and I’ll let you all live!”

  I probably could have patched you into their s.

  I blink. “Then why didn’t-”

  Abruptly, I’m interrupted by a call f its way onto my augs, its caller I.D unknown. I’m about to ask Raya what’s going on, when a slightly odd feminine voies through.

  [“A-Attention, all survivors in the New Houston Reef. I-I repeat, Attention, all survivors in New Houston Reef.”]

  There’s a slight pause in her words as she takes a breath. When she speaks again, her words are fident, posed.

  [ “This is Samurai Ghost-light. I apologize for f this call through, but I have an important annou.”]

  She pauses once again, only for her words to send shivers down my spine.

  [“New Houston is doomed.”]

  Aliapanacea